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Hellfire Club (Earth-616)
Official Team Names: Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club Team Nicknames: None known Team Aliases: Council of the Chosen; Lords Cardinal Status Team Status: Active Team Identity: Publicly known; Inner Circle unknown to public Base of Operations: Hellfire Club Mansion, New York City, London, Hong Kong, Paris; formerly Massachusetts Academy Organization Active Inner Circle Members - New York: *'Lord Imperial:' Sunspot *'Other Members:' Sage (Tessa), Sat-Yr-9 (White Queen), Viper (Warrior White Princess), Sebastian Shaw, Cassandra Nova, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Perfection, Emma Frost Former and Inactive Inner Circle Members: Black Bishop (Brian Braddock), Black Bishop (Harry Leland), Black King (Sebastian Shaw), Black King (Shinobi Shaw), Black King (London Branch), Black King (Blackheart), Black Rook (Friedrich von Roehm), Black Queen (Phoenix), Black Queen (Selene), Black Queen (Ms Steed), Lourdes Chantel, Grey King (Magneto), Red Bishop, Red King, Red Queen (Margali Szardos), Red Rook (Scribe), Red Rook (Mountjoy), White King (Donald Pierce), White King (Edward Buckman), White King (Storm), Hellstorm (unofficial White King), White Queen (Emma Frost), White Queen (Paris Seville), Black Rook (Madelyne Pryor), White Rook (Trevor Fitzroy), White Rook (Emmanuel DaCosta) Hellfire Club Members: Archangel, Norman Osborn, Anthony Stark, Howard Stark, Warren Worthington Jr., James Braddock Sr., James Braddock Jr., Psylocke, Night Thrasher, Elias Bogan, Senator Kelly, Lourdes Chantel, Bianca LeNeige, Kingmaker, Vance Astrovik, Ronald Parvenue, Candace Southern, Gerhard van Ostamgen, Oliver Ryland, Ms Hoo, Ella Associates: Warhawk, Holocaust, Candra, Red Lotus Known Allies: Hellions Known Enemies: Upstarts, X-Men Total Members: 4 current and active Total Allies: Total number of allies unknown Total Enemies: Total number of enemies unknown Origin The Hellfire Club began in England as a social club for the social elite and wealthy in the 1760's. At some point, a handful of the most powerful members emigrated to the American colonies and began a branch in New York City Two centuries later, White King Ned Buckman gave the support of the Council of the Chosen (the ruling body of the Hellfire Club) to Stephen Lang and his mutant hunting Sentinels. Backing Lang turned into a disaster, and a Sentinel attack on Sebastian Shaw's home led to the death of Lourdes Chantel. Out for revenge, Shaw and Emma Frost slaughtered the Council of the Chosen. Renaming the ruling body the Inner Circle, Shaw and Frost begin to surround themselves with other mutants. Place of Formation: London, England First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men Vol. 1 #132 History The Hellfire Club counts among its members many famous and influential members of society. Membership is passed on to descendants, and can be earned through wealth or influence. The club has branches in New York City, Paris, Hong Kong and London. The various branches are overseen by the Lord Imperial. Many of the wealthiest and most powerful businessmen of the Marvel Universe, including Tony Stark and Norman Osborn have inherited or gained membership to the Hellfire Club. And while many accept the invitation merely for the pleasures that the Club offers, many others seek out to obtain wealth and influence. In fact, the purpose of the Hellfire Club is to obtain and exert power through politics and economic influence instead of outward conquest and domination. Since its foundation, Hellfire Club has been involved in wars and assassinations as long as these helped further the agendas of the Club's most prominent members. Unbeknownst to most members of the club, the organization is ruled by a Council of the Chosen. This secret group later renamed itself the Inner Circle and assumed the titles of chess pieces. Originally the Inner Circle was composed of normal humans, but was slowly infiltrated and dominated by super-powered mutants of various abilities. Though not always the most powerful of mutantkind, the Inner Circle allowed within its rank only those of exceptional ability. A common theme, though with exceptions, was for the White and Black queens of the organization to possess a psychic ability of some nature; no doubt aiding the organization to further their conspiracies. The Hellfire Club first came to the attention of the X-Men when agents of the Hellfire Club kidnapped several X-Men and took over the mind of Phoenix. Though the X-Men unraveled the Hellfire Club's scheme, the meddling with Phoenix's mind led her to become Dark Phoenix. They were eventually defeated and Phoenix returned to her Jean Grey persona. Wolverine inflicted nearly lethal injuries on several of its mercenaries during this time. However, the influential organization continued its activities even after being thwarted by the X-Men. Although the hierarchy of the Inner Circle goes through constant upheaval due to the competing egos and political motives of its members, it continues to exist in the same basic structure today. Inner Circle Lineups The constant intrigue, backstabbing, blackmailing and politicking that plague the Hellfire Club have resulted in many changes of the Inner Circle, as new players seek out membership in order to obtain influence, power and wealth. The following lists the membership of each incarnation of the inner circle and the title they held. Up until his death, Sir Gordon Phillips bore the title of Lord Imperial, and as such he oversaw all branches of the Hellfire Club; he was not a member of any particular Inner Circle, he was above all of them. Council of the Chosen The original Inner Circle prior to Shaw and Frost's takeover of the New York Branch Hellfire Club. * Ned Buckman: White King * Paris Seville: White Queen * Sebastian Shaw: Black Bishop The rest of the membership is never named. Like Paris, they are gunned down by Buckman under Emma Frost's mind control. Ned Buckman was responsible for a Sentinel attack on Shaw's beach house, which resulted on the death of Shaw's lover, Lourdes Chantel. The Lords Cardinal Shaw renamed the Council of the Chosen as The Lords Cardinal following his takeover of the NY Branch. * Sebastian Shaw: Black King * Emma Frost: White Queen * Donald Pierce: White Bishop * Phoenix (posing as Jean Grey): Black Queen * Harry Leland: Black Bishop * Jason Wyngarde: Probational member - presumably intended for one of the two Rooks. * Tessa: Shaw's personal aide. * Warhawk: Associate Following the Dark Phoenix Saga, the title of Black Queen is empty once again. Donald Pierce reaches the rank of White King and is expelled. New members are: * Selene: Black Queen * Emmanuel DaCosta: White Rook * Friedrich Von Roehm: Black Rook * Magneto: White King, alongside Storm. Later Grey King * Storm: White Queen, alongside Magneto. Shinobi Shaw's Inner Circle Originally, Selene planned on creating a new Inner Circle from amongst the Upstarts, yet they turn on her. Believing his father to be dead, Shinobi Shaw briefly takes over the NY Branch of the Club, seeminlgy with support from the External Candra. He offers membership in his Inner Circle to Archangel and later to Storm but both decline. * Shinobi Shaw: Black King * Benedict Kine: White King * Benazir Kaur: Black Queen? * Reeva Payge: White Queen? * Candra: Associate * Cordelia Frost: Probational member The titles of Payge and Kaur are not established. When Cordelia Frost applies for membership to the Inner Circle, Shinobi states that the title of White Queen is already taken. This Inner Circle quickly fades into oblivion and is replaced by Shaw's second Inner Circle. The London Branch The Inner Circle of the Club's London branch briefly operates in parallel to Shinobi's Inner Circle. Instead of Black and White, the titles of the London Branch can be Red and Black. * Ms. Steed (AoA's Damask): Black Queen * Margali Szardos: Red Queen * Scribe (possessed by Mountjoy): Red Rook * Black King (Name unknown) * Red King (Name unknown) * Brian Braddock: Black Bishop * Red Bishop (Name unknown) Brian Braddock's membership is hereditary. He joined the London Inner Circle at Shinobi Shaw's behest, as Shaw wanted information on the London branch's activities. Shaw's Second Stint Sebastian Shaw retakes control of the Hellfire Club and tries to rebuild the Inner Circle to its former power and glory. * Sebastian Shaw: Black King * Selene: Black Queen * Madelyne Pryor or Queen Jean: Black Rook * Trevor Fitzroy: White Rook * Donald Pierce: Applicant for White Bishop * Tessa: Shaw's personal aide. * Ella: Selene's personal servant * Holocaust: Associate * Ms. Hoo: Associate Selene's Hellfire With Pierce expelled, Madelyne gone and both Shaw and Fitzroy retired, Selene reforms the Inner Circle into a reflection of her own evil nature, thus consorting with demons, though her reign is short-lived: * Selene: Black Queen * Blackheart: Black King * Daimon Hellstrom: White King * Sunspot: Black Rook At the time, Adrienne Frost shows up in Generation X, claiming the White Queen title for herself. However, she was merely using the White Queen moniker. Besides, the nature of her powers did not fit with Selene's new demons, fire and brimstone theme. Following Selene's defeat, Hellstrom remains as White King. Though he hasn't appeared again as a member, there has been no White King since him. Sunspot joined the Inner Circle after Selene and Blackheart's defeat. She had always shown an interest in the young DaCosta and blackmails him into taking up his hereditary membership. In Grant Morrison's New X-Men, it is revealed that Shaw is back in power, though the NY Branch has apparently been turned into a strip club. Deadly Genesis reveals that the strip club was part of the Hellfire Club's properties at least since the days of Emma Frost's youth. The Fifth Inner Circle With Sir Gordon Phillips dead thanks to the Legacy Virus, Shaw positions himself as the new Lord Imperial and, as such, he oversees the entire Hellfire Club. While he claims that he's trying to reform the Club, his motive, as always, is not what it seems. * Sebastian Shaw: Lord Imperial * Sunspot: Black King, later Lord Imperial. * Courtney Ross (actually Sat-Yr-9): White Queen * Viper: Warrior White Princess * Tessa/Sage: Shaw's personal aide, Sunspot's personal advisor * Selene: Black Queen * Red Lotus: Associate During a confrontation between Sat-yr-9 and Emma Frost, it is revealed that the latter maintained her membership all the time, as well as the White Queen title, though she loses the second. Selene remains trapped beneath the Hellfire Club's HQ and is not actually part of the New Inner Circle, though her title of Black Queen remains untaken. How she managed to present herself before Sunspot remains unexplained and its possibly an error by the writers. A confrontation with Donald Pierce leaves Shaw gravely injured. Sunspot takes over as Lord Imperial, which was Sage's plan all along. Despite their good intentions, Sat-yr-9 and Viper have their own less than noble agenda. The Sixth Inner Circle Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men reveals that Shaw is healthy once again and that he has joined forces with new allies at the behest of the mysterious Perfection. The titles of the new members have not been revealed yet, but with Sunspot as Lord Imperial, Shaw is possibly back into his classic Black King. * Perfection/The White Queen * Sebastian Shaw * Cassandra Nova * Negasonic Teenage Warhead * Emma Frost Sunspot's Inner Circle has not appeared again. With Sage as part of New Excalibur, it is possible the previous Inner Circle has disbanded. Past members * Philadelphia, 1780/81: Sir Patrick Clemens (King title), Lady Diana Knight (Queen title), Lady Grey (Queen title), Elizabeth Shaw-Worthington, Major General Wallace Worthington, Commander Clinton * London, 1859: Lord Braddock, Mr. Shaw (Sebastian Shaw's great-grandfather and Cornelius Shaw's father) * Boston, 1872/74: Anton Pierce (Member of the Inner Circle) * London, 1915: Brigadier-General Cornelius Shaw, Sir Harry Manners, Waltham Pierce Members outside the Inner Circle The following characters are members of the Hellfire Club but were not part of the any of the Inner Circle lineups mentioned above. Their membership was inherited from their ancestors or parents, or was obtained through from personal invitation from the Branch's King, such as the one Sebastian Shaw offered to Irene Merryweather, which she refused. * Lourdes Chantel - affiliated thanks to Shaw's membership * Warren Worthington III - inherited membership from his father * Warren Worthington Jr. - invited by Ned Buckman * Howard Stark - invited by Ned Buckman * Anthony Stark - inherited membership from his father * Norman Osborn * Sir James Braddock Senior - invited by Ned Buckman, former Black Bishop of the London Branch, left the Inner Circle when his inventions where used for anti-mutant purposes. * James Braddock Jr - inherited membership. * Elisabeth Braddock - inherited membership. * Bianca LeNeige * Dwayne Taylor * Vance Astrovik * Candace Southern, Warren Worthington III's former girlfriend - now deceased * Ronald Parvenue * Gerhard Van Ostamgen * Oliver Ryland, Elias Bogan's protégé * The Kingmaker * Lady Jacqueline Falsworth-Crichton - inherited membership. Guards and Staff * Guards: Wade Cole, Angelo Macon, Murray Reese, Randall Chase, Richard Salmons, Chet Andrews, Cannonball, Benedict Kine's Ivory Knights, Shinobi Shaw's Ebon Knights * Servants: Sharon Kelly, Rutledge (London Branch). Notes & Trivia * Created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne * Modeled after the real life British Hellfire Club * Many names of club members are homages to the British Avengers television series Related Articles * White Queen (Emma Frost) * Jean Grey * Black King (Sebastian Shaw) * Selene External Links and References * ---- Category:Teams Category:Active Teams Category:Bad Teams Category:Copy Edit